Mail-sack.



No. 886,264. PATENTED APR. 2a, 1908.

e. SMOOT.

MAIL SACK. APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1907.

WITNESSES A TTORAfE Y5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERTRUDE SMOOT, OF GRATZ, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIS H. JOHNSON AND ONE-THIRD TO CLAUD J. SMITHER, OF GRATZ, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-SACK.

Application filed July 15, 1907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Serial No. 383,784.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERTRUDE SMooT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gratz, in the county of Owen and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful MaiLSack, of which the following is a speci iication.

This invention relates generally to mail bags, and particularly to that class having their mouths closed by a plurality of pivotally connecting plates embodying locking mechanism.

The object of the resent invention is to improve the mouth 0 osure in such manner that when the lock is removed or unlocked, the mouth will be caused automatically to open, thus to permit the ready discharge of the contents of the bag, and further to hold the mouth in distended position, whereby the depositing of mail matter into the bag will materially be facilitated.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better "understood, the same consists, generally stated, in a mail bag closure embodying a plurality of pivotally connected members and means, constituting handles, for opening the closure when the lock is released, and for retaining it in open position.

The invention consists further in the various novel details of construction and combination of parts of a mail bag mouth closure, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a mail bag equipped with the improvements of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, displaying a slightly modified form of closure.

Referring to the drawings and to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, 1 designates the bag, which may be made of any suitable material, and is (provided on one side and near its lower en with a hand hold 2 to facilitate the holding of the bag when discharging its contents and also its handling.

The mouth portion of the bag has combined with it a closure constituting in this instance, four metallic plates 3, 4, 5 and 6, of which the first two constitute the side members and the last two the end members. The terminals of the plates may be connected in any preferred manner as by hinges, as shown or otherwise, and as this feature of the attachment forms no portion of the invention further description is deemed unnecessary. The bag is held assembled with the closure elements, in this instance, by a plurality of split rivets 7, which not only serve the purpose stated but also operate to hold assembled with the inner faces of the members a lining or facing 8 of any material that will protect the mail against damage when being placed within the bag, as by contact with the closure members or with the bag proper. One of the side members, in this instance, the member 4, is provided with a staple 9 that is designed to project through a longitudinal slot 10 arranged in the other side member 3, and diagonally to the staple, the staple being engaged in this instance by a padlock 11 which operates to hold the closure members assembled in the position shown in Fig. 2.

In order to prevent entrance of dust 01' water to the bag when the closure members are in locked position, a flap or seal 11 is provided which is secured to the side member 4 and end member 6 by the rivets 7, and is provided with a slot 12 through which the staple 7 will project when the closure is in locked position, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby to secure the object sought.

The essential feature of the present invention resides in a novel form of mouth opening means, which is designed to operate automatically when the lock is released thus to distend the members of the closure and to hold them distended while the bag is being emptied and filled. This means comprises a pair of bail-shaped springs 13, the terminals of which are formed into eyes 14 that are designed to engage with staples or keepers 15 secured to the side and end members, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The springs 13, which also constitute handles for holding the bag or for suspending it from an overhead support, are preferably, though not of necessity, made of steel wire of they proper gage, and the staples 15 are of such length as to permit a freedom of movement of the eyes therein that will preclude the possi bility of any binding or looking. When the lock is released to permit the closure to open, the springs 18 occupy the position s iown in Fig. 2, that is in approximate arallelism with the closure members, but w en the bag is closed the members 13 are turned upward, thereby to present handles, and also a means for suspending the bag, if such be desired.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the closure consists of siX members, namely, two relatively short side members 16 and 17, and four relatively long end members 18, 19, 20 and 2]., these members being connected for pivotal movements relatively to each other by hinge or other joints. With this exception, the construction of the mail bag is the same as that already described, and the opening members 13 will operate in precisely the same manner as those shown in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that while the improvements herein defined are simple in character they will be thoroughly eifective for the purposes designed and may be applied to mall bags or provided with the forms of closure shown without requiring any change in their structural arrangement other than the provision ol. the members 13 and the staples 15.

l/Vhat is claimed is:-'

A mail bag inclosure embodying a plurality of pivotally connected side and end members each provided with a staple, bail-shaped springs having their terminals formed into eyes to engage the staples and their crests disposed at such distance from the corners of the frame as to adapt them to constitute handles, a staple carried by the inner face of one side member and adapted to engage a slot in the other side member, a flap or shield secured to one of the side and end members and provided with an orifice through which the last-named staple projects when the members of the closure are in closed position, and means for engaging the staple for holding the closure members against opening.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses;

GERTRU DE SMOOT. 

